Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe

Lots of you know that I am pretty new to this blogging thing. I’m still learning every day. One of the big things I’ve learned along the way, it that it doesn’t make sense to have a cookie decorating blog without a cookie recipe, SO finally, I am posting one.

Keep in mind, this is the recipe I prefer. You don’t have to use this particular recipe to make beautiful cookies. Use the one that works best for you and adapt it to your personal taste.

What I can say for this recipe is that it’s easy, which is just my style. I’ve always said, I am not a baker, as much as an artist who happens to use cookies and icing as my medium.

It works great for me. I like it, and I have made thousands of cookies using this recipe.

Cream together softened butter and confectioner’s sugar. Crack the egg into a separate bowl, and add the flavoring. I use emulsions, but extract also works well. Add that to the butter sugar mixture and mix until the egg is thoroughly incorporated. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add little by little to the mixture. I can tell the dough is ready when most of it sticks to the paddle. When I touch it, it has a little give, but does not stick to my fingers.

Roll out on parchment to about 1/4 an inch thick, use flour for dusting as necessary. Then, cut and bake at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes. This version makes 2-2 1/2 dozen, doubled, it makes 4-5 dozen.

Notes

The dough DOES not need to be refrigerated. That’s why I like it.

The dough needs to rest a little after mixing, it will firm up a little bit after a minute or two

The recipe doubles well

Baking times are approximate. You must KNOW your oven. Watch them the first few times you bake them. Get a thermometer, and do not over bake. If the cookies are browning you have gone too far.

This dough can be flavored any way you like.

The cookies freeze well

There is a lot of leavener in these cookies. This is not a typo. The general rule is less leavener so they don’t spead, but I’ve never been one to follow the rules.

This recipe does spread a little. If you don’t like that add a little flour.
Speaking of flour, start with 2 1/2 cups. Add another 1/4 of a cup if the dough seems to sticky.

If you don’t like salt, leave it out altogether. If you only have salted butter, use that and reduce the salt.

I prefer decorating day-old cookies. They are less likely to leach oil back into your icing if they have had a day or two to “dry out”. They are still soft, however.

Thank you so much for this recipe! I will try it and tell you how it goes, I’m starting a home baking business and I want to add cookies to it, so I’ve been looking for a good recipe. Oh, can you tell me how many grams of butter is it? I think is a little bit different in my country.

I have tried this recipe , twice the first time,I noticed it runny,but following the steps, after i made the recioe it was a bit runny I added the 1/4 cup and nid and after that no problem,I appreciate the fact that this is a free site,and Mis sugarbelle gives us tips and tutorials on all her work…please resoect her site….

[…] the party, I depended on my friend, Cal­lye from The Sweet Adven­tures of Sug­ar­belle and her per­fect sugar cookie recipe, which was superb! The first time around, I pre­pared the dough in the mixer, but then had to […]